Multiskan Sky Microplate Spectrophotometer with Thermo Fisher Cloud

Taking photometry to the cyber-physical space

(See a list of the products featured in this article.)

Scientists are embracing the phenomenon known as the Internet of Things (IoT), which refers to technology driven by machine-to-machine communication. In the life sciences context, the IoT translates into research and medical laboratory instruments that are connected to the internet [1]. Integral to the IoT is the cyber-physical space—the interconnected system of physical devices and computer-based algorithms that control and regulate the instrumentation. By 2020, the IoT is projected to comprise approximately 20 billion discrete devices, surpassing the number of human internet users [2].

In the midst of this digital revolution, Thermo Fisher Cloud offers an innovative ecosystem tailored to the needs of life science researchers. It harbors well-designed, user-friendly tools for secure remote instrument access, scientific analysis, and data storage. As the first microplate reader connected to Thermo Fisher Cloud, the Thermo Scientific Multiskan Sky Microplate Spectrophotometer enables researchers to perform photometric measurements while also taking advantage of the cyber-physical space provided by the IoT.

Multiskan Sky microplate reader: Redefining photometry

The Multiskan Sky Microplate Spectrophotometer (Figure 1) is ideal for multiuser environments and is compatible with a variety of endpoint, kinetic, and spectral assays. This UV/Vis microplate reader is exceptionally convenient for virtually any photometric application, especially nucleic acid and protein analyses. Here we highlight two Multiskan Sky spectrophotometer models (without and with a cuvette port) that have a touchscreen user interface (Figure 1) as well as access to Thermo Fisher Cloud–based tools. These models offer:

• Monochromator-based detection, with a freely adjustable selection of wavelengths from 200 nm to 1,000 nm (in 1 nm steps)
• Compatibility with 96- and 384-well microplates (with and without lids), cuvettes, and the Thermo Scientific μDrop Plate, a 16-well reusable plate for microvolume DNA, RNA, and protein quantitation
• Onboard shaking and incubation (up to 45°C) for temperature-sensitive assays
• Touchscreen access to built-in protocols for nucleic acid and protein quantitation
• Access to more complex protocols (e.g., cell viability assays) in the Online Protocols Library of Thermo Scientific SkanIt Software v5.0

References

1. Perkel JM (2017) Nature 542:125–126. 
2. Joyce J (2018) How the Internet of Things Is Affecting Laboratory Equipment. Laboratory Manager 07 May 2018.